Grounded
by Amlette
Summary: How will the empire react to the events that ended the world as they knew it? And how does a young girl get caught up in it all? Lyude x OC Rated M for explicit content.
1. Chapter 1: Mintaka

Hello everyone! I just wanted you all to know that it's been a while since I beat Baten Kaitos and I can't _exactly_ remember the ending, so if you notice any inconsistencies, please let me know. I am currently playing it again (just got to disk 2), but don't be afraid of giving me spoilers.

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Chapter 1: Mintaka

Mintaka glistened under the now-distant sun. The imperial city was full today; people had come from near and far to catch a glimpse of the new emperor. The streets and roof tops were crowded with visiting Azhans and the Mintaka poor. Makeshift columns supported balconies covered with well-dressed nobles. Many of the golden buildings had been damaged during The Fall, but those along the parade route had been patched up enough to be deemed safe. In the middle of the crowd stood a family hoping that their new ruler would prove more understanding than their last.

"The emperor's ship! I see it!" The yell started at the docks and spread toward the palace. The mass of humanity on the street writhed as people fidgeted impatiently. "Look, here he comes!" someone shouted. The crowd surged forward, only to be held back by imperial guardsmen's shields. At sixteen, Ena could just see over the shoulders of those in front of her; she stood on her tip-toes to get a better look. The middle of the golden street was empty except for seven men, six of them forming a ring around the one in the middle, who had red hair. As they approached, the buzz of the crowd grew until it reached fever pitch.

"Which one's the emperor?" Ena's six year-old half-sister, Mora, asked from atop their father's shoulders.

"He's the one in the middle sweetie," Ena's stepmother said as she gently rocked a baby boy in her arms. "See how they're protecting him?"

Ena craned her neck and jumped a little in order to get a better look at the small party as it passed by. The six soldiers marched with strict precision, each an exact copy of the others. Their saunter was exaggerated by their bulky shoulder pads and stiff posture. The emperor, clad in red breeches and a simple black tailcoat, looked small in contrast. Ena watched him carefully as he walked calmly in the center of the group, smiling softly and waving at the crowds.

All around her, Ena heard voices through the noise of the crowd. "What a fool, not having a proper escort! What sort of impression does he intend to make on his people?" scoffed a man in a suit behind her. "He does look awfully young, doesn't he?" said a woman to her left. She heard a man in front of her say "He was a member of the Mad Wolf Unit? Really?" "That kid certainly disgraced his poor father's name. How in the world did _he_, of all people, get elected?!" a woman's voice drifted down from the balcony above her. Next to her, an elderly beggar sobbed gratefully. Popular opinion on the new emperor was divided it seemed.

The group stopped, soldiers marching in place as the gigantic doors to the palace were opened. And then they were out of sight. As the doors closed and the crowd began to dissipate, Ena heard her father say "Kalia, take the children home. I'm going to stay and hear what the new emperor has to say."

"Very well, see you at home dear," she replied.

"Wait, I want to hear too!" Ena interjected. "I'm old enough, aren't I?"

Her father looked surprised. "Well, yes, I suppose you are," he said as he let Mora off his shoulders. "Ena and I will meet you at home then," he corrected.

Kalia nodded and held out her hand for Mora as she turned to go. Ena turned to her father and thanked him for letting her stay. "I'm just glad to see you take an interest in this sort of thing," he replied. Together they made their way through the thinning crowd to the nearest functional speech machine, where they sat in the shade of a neighboring building. Her father being a quiet man, Ena entertained herself by people-watching as they waited for the emperor's first public address.

Several hours later, Ena heard the click of the speech machine as it turned on and stood up to see the broadcast image of the young emperor. "Dear people of Alfard," he began, "I want to thank you for your courage and fortitude during these trying times, and it is with great humility that I accept the position of ruler of this land. My first priority is to see that our nation's people are taken care of. In the interest of becoming a self-sufficient nation, we have begun exploring the land surrounding our former boundaries with the intent of settling it. In two months from today, a shipment of seed and livestock from Sadal Suud will be dispersed free of charge to any citizen who commits to assist with this effort. My sincerest thanks to you all." The emperor bowed and the speech machine began to repeat the message.

Ena looked at her father, who was squinting at the hologram. "Let's go," he said.

That night over dinner in their modest, two-room home Ena's father mentioned what the emperor had said. "Are you thinking that's a good idea?" Ena's stepmother said. "To quit the factory and take our chances on the frontier?" Ena could tell she was uneasy.

"I have a feeling this emperor won't be needing as many Iron Beetles as the last one," her father replied confidently. "I may eventually end up unemployed." He shook his head.

"Why wouldn't he need as many Beetles?" Ena said. "He acts all nice, but he _was_ a soldier under Emperor Geldoblame; he'll be pushing us back into war any day now." Ena banged her fist on the table, causing the plates to rattle. "All he's been trained to do is kill."

Her father smiled gently and said, "I'm surprised to hear you say such things about Emperor Lyude, considering your opinion of him."

"What does he mean, Mama?" Mora asked, confused.

"You should never say bad things about the emperor, or he might come after you," Kalia responded gently as she fed the baby another spoonful of broth.

Mora looked down at her plate and mumbled, "I don't want Emperor Lyude to get you, Ena."

Their father chuckled. "I'm sure she'll be fine. I think this new emperor will be a great thing for this country."

Ena shook her head, unconvinced.

Later as she lay in bed next to Mora, Ena overheard her father talking softly in the main room. "I really think this is the right thing for us Kalia," he was saying.

"I just don't know… Leaving behind a steady job, our friends, and even our home? Are you sure?" she replied. Ena could just see their shadows, outlined by the dying fire behind them.

"Ena and I have moved before, it's not so difficult. And tomorrow I'll spread the news at work. Maybe some of our friends will come too. It won't be so hard, you'll see."

"Alright honey," she said. "I trust you." Ena heard them kiss, then rolled over to face the wall and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: A New World

Chapter 2: A New World

When the airship from Sadal Suud arrived, the Iron Beetle factory workers elected Ena's father to be their spokesperson, and went together to receive their share of the shipment. They had been given a team of prancers, several pows, a dozen fantail ducklings, and an assortment of seeds, as well as instructions on how to care for it all. They set out within the week, accompanied by a handful of imperial soldiers ordered to protect their caravan and show them the way to their new home, Altair Valley, across Nihal Desert.

As elected headsperson, Ena's father drove the prancer cart that held the caged ducklings, seed, and the villagers' valuables that hadn't been stored in magnus. It was Ena and another girl's, Taite's, job to herd the pows through the desert; although there were only a few of them, it was difficult for the inexperienced shepherds. Once, Ena fell asleep while on watch and when she woke she had sand in her long brown hair and all the pows had wandered off. She and Taite searched frantically for them, until they found them just over a dune, corralled by a lone oliphant. As they urged them back towards the group, Ena noted that the oliphant was surprisingly good at herding and encouraged it to come along.

After several days under the rocky desert mountains, they finally reached the outerlands, the area surrounding the fallen island. Ena had spent her childhood in the dusty city of Azha and moved to Mintaka after her mother was killed in a mining accident; she never could have imagined that a place like this existed. She stopped in her tracks as she watched the waist-high grass sway in the breeze. It was almost taller than Mora, and the pows chewed at it gratefully. Ena noticed the oliphant hesitating at the edge of the sand. She called after it and pointed towards the pows, who were disappearing into the grass. The oliphant seemed alarmed and ran after them. Ena smiled and followed him into the sea of grass.

The next day, the caravan turned and began to head towards the end of the mountain range. "Mama, I'm tired," Mora whined, tramping down the grass. "When are we going to get there?"

"We'll get there when we get there," Kalia replied.

Just then, a soldier walked up to the prancer cart and began to talk to Ena's father. "On the other side of the mountain range, a little way up, is an empty building we used as a base while we were exploring this area," Ena heard him say. "You should find provisions and building materials there, as we stockpiled them before we left. The emperor suggests you use this building as a meeting place, and construct the village around it. At your current pace, you should arrive by nightfall tomorrow. It is time for my troops and I to return to Mintaka."

"Thank you for all your help," Ena's father replied as the soldier blew his whistle and motioned for his troops to regroup and turn around.

The caravan came upon the outpost near dusk the next day. It was made of cob, a sturdy mixture of sand, straw, and clay, and thatched with grass from the plain they had just crossed. The settlers opened the heavy wooden doors and found a large main hall, with three smaller rooms on either side. The back four were filled with the building materials and provisions the officer had mentioned; the front two were empty. Ena's father had her unharness the prancers and lead them to one of the empty rooms while he and the other men unloaded the cart. Taite and the oliphant herded the pows into the other empty room. When the two girls met in the hall, they shared a sigh of relief that their journey was over, and returned to their families.

That first night, everyone slept in the main hall. In her family's corner, Ena had a hard time falling asleep. The dirt floor was hard and the noises of the country were so different from the ones she was used to; no steam gushed out of jets in the wall, no soldiers marched by outside, only crickets chirped and bugs buzzed. Eventually, however, exhaustion set in and sleep did find her.

Ena got up with her stepmother and helped her prepare breakfast. After eating, she stepped outside with her father to survey the area. In the morning light, the building looked quaint against the mountainside, which sheltered it on two sides. The grass here was shorter, and higher up was a band of apple trees, which stretched along the mountain range. Nearby, a clear, shallow stream trickled down from the mountain peak. Ena followed its path with her eyes; it went down through the valley below, ever widening, until she could no longer see it. She shivered; it was certainly cooler on this side of the mountain. _What a strange land_, she thought. _Grass as tall as children, trees, no sand, and water aplenty. But maybe we can survive here on our own after all._

The next months were busy times. The villagers built a barn, a coop, and a corral with plenty of room for their herds to grow, they began tilling the dark, rich soil of the valley, and they helped each other build new homes, all the while diminishing the stockpiled supplies. It wasn't easy, but the whole town felt proud of what they had accomplished.

Unfortunately, just as they became accustomed to the area's unfamiliar climate, the seasons began to change. Since the nation had been floating above the rotating earth for so long, no one in Alfard could have predicted what was to come. As the temperature dropped, the stream began to shrink and slow, and snow collected on the mountain tops. When the wheat was almost ready to be harvested, it froze and died in the ground. The ruined harvest was fed to the animals, which grew fat while the villagers grew thin. Not all of the crops were lost though; those that grow under the ground, such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes survived to replenish the village's food stores.

Ena shook the snow off her boots as she stepped inside her new cob home, grateful for the fire's warmth after a long, cold day looking after the pows. The oliphant she had named Ollie came in after her, and sprinted straight for the hearth. "That damn emperor," Ena began, "trying to freeze and starve us to death!"

"Ena!" Kalia said, shooting her a look of disapproval while continuing to stir their meager supper.

"It's alright, Kalia. Let her say what she wants to, as long as it's her honest opinion," said her father, who had just come in behind her. "Nobody could have predicted that this would happen though, you do know that don't you?" he asked Ena.

"Yes," she admitted. "But still!"

He chuckled as he sat down. "Alright, let's eat!"

The industrious village of Altair survived its first winter, but just barely. When the stream began to thaw, Ena's father rode one of the prancers to Mintaka to report to the emperor on how the village had fared the unexpected weather change. He returned a week later with fresh supplies and more seed to try the ground again. Their second year proved more fruitful than the first; their herds grew, and the villagers now had fresh pow milk and duck eggs to supplement their diets, as well as a baby prancer to care for. Kalia also found out she was pregnant again. This year, the wheat was ready for harvest before the first freeze, and, although they were a long way from feeding the empire, they had some extra to take to Mintaka to sell. That winter, while just as cold, was much easier than the last one.

When spring came again, Ena's father went to Mintaka again to deliver another report to the emperor. One day, not long after he returned, Ena was walking to the barn with Ollie to milk the pows when she noticed one of the men tilling the fields looking at her. She recognized him as another former factory worker's child, Asher. His green eyes met her blue ones, and he smiled as she blushed. Ena turned her face to the dewy grass and hurried on towards the barn.

That afternoon as the pows were grazing peacefully in the valley, Taite came to relieve Ena from her duty. The two girls had grown close over the past two years, and Ena mentioned the encounter she had this morning to her. "Oh, Ena!" Taite giggled. "How cute!"

"What? What's cute?" Ena said.

"Oh, don't tell me you don't understand," Taite replied. Ena didn't say anything. "Well, I'll just say that it's about time you found a boyfriend!"

"What?!" Ena screeched, startling the pows, who soon resumed their grazing. "No way, it is not like that! I don't even know him! I mean, he just looked at me…" Ena trailed off. She plopped down on the grass, confused.

Taite sat down beside her. "Just think about it, mkay?" she said with a wink. "He might start to grow on you." The girl giggled at something, but Ena didn't understand what.

"But what should I do?" Ena asked. She knew Taite had at least some experience with boys.

"Nothing!" Taite replied lightheartedly. "The easiest way to get a guy to like you is to ignore him. But if he tries to talk to you, don't run away!" Ena squinted her eyes, trying to make sense of Taite's advice. Seeing she was having some trouble understanding, Taite added, "Listen, guys only want one thing, and they want it more when they think they can't have it. And the more they want it," she continued, "the more they're willing to do for it. See how that works?"

Ena nodded. She felt like she understood _that _at least."But what do they want?" she asked.

Taite giggled again. "Oh Ena…" was all she said.

Ena stood up. "Well, thanks for the advice," she said, and headed back home.

The next morning, Ena noticed Asher working in the fields again, and slowed her step to get a good look at him. She watched the muscles in his arms as he raised the hoe, and watched his light hair come down over his eyes whenever he let the hoe fall. He stood up to wipe his brow, saw her looking at him, and a smile came over his freckled face. _He is kind of cute_, Ena thought. _I__n a little boy way though! _she quickly added as she took off toward the barn once again.

At lunchtime, Ena sat down beneath a tree not far from the grazing pows. Halfway through her mountain apple and pow cheese, she saw a figure approaching from the village. Thinking it was Taite, Ena paid it no mind. It wasn't until he was nearly upon her that she noticed it was Asher. _Oh gods, what do I do? _Ena panicked. _Nothing, that's what Taite said, right? _She watched the boy as he approached, and stood up to smooth her skirts once he was within speaking range.

"Hey," Asher said awkwardly. "How're the pows?"

The boy was nearly a foot taller than she, so she had to look up at him when she replied. "Umm… They're fine." She paused. "Eria just had her litter, so she's still in the barn, but the rest of them are fine," she added.

Ena noticed Asher's eyes seemed to sparkle when he laughed. "I didn't know they had names," he said.

"Umm, yeah. That one's Afon, that one's Meilyr, that one's Sayer, and that one's Guto," she said pointing them all out. "Taite and I haven't named any of the new piglets yet."

Asher shifted his weight to the other foot. "Speaking of Taite, do you think you could meet me at the stream once she comes to take over?"

'_Don't run away,' _Ena remembered Taite saying. She managed an "O-okay."

Asher grinned. "See you then!" he said as he hurried away.

When Taite heard what Ena had agreed to, she squealed just like the pows. "I'm so excited for you!" she said. "Tomorrow you have to tell me everything that happens, okay? Now go, don't keep him waiting too long!"

Ena smiled nervously at her feet as she headed towards the stream. She heard the running water and looked up to see Asher smiling at her. He strode over to her, and took her arm in his. "I was hoping we could go for a walk together this afternoon," he said.

"Oh, I've been on my feet all day," Ena complained. She saw the smile fall from his face. She didn't want to disappoint him; it was the first time any guy had asked her out, so she quickly added, "so maybe just a short one, okay?"

The light returned to his eyes as he looked down at her and nodded. "I'll take what I can get!"

The two of them walked along the stream, past the fields where Asher worked, past the hill where Taite was watching the pows, and into the sea of grass. They were holding hands now; his strong one entwined with her gentle one. As they walked, Asher talked about how they were trying three different types of wheat this year, to see which one would do best. Ena responded quietly when appropriate, and replayed her conversation with Taite from the day before in her head. After a while, they came upon a break in the grass, in the middle of which was a single, stunted tree. "Would you like to rest for a while?" Asher asked.

"Yes please," Ena said, relieved. As they sat against the tree, Ena removed her boots; her feet felt like they were on fire.

"You're just not afraid to make yourself comfortable, are you?" Asher chuckled.

_I guess I should have left my boots on, _she thought.

"You are so cute when you blush," Asher said as he scooted next to her so their outstretched legs were touching. Seeing that she didn't flinch at this, he put his arm around her, and gently pulled her closer to him so that her head was on his shoulder. Ena tensed at first, unsure of what to do, but then relaxed as she remembered to do nothing. They sat like this for a while, watching the grass sway around them. Ena closed her eyes, and may have fallen asleep, had it not been for a hand on her chin and a pressure on her lips. Ena sat up, startled, and looked at the boy. He moved a piece of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear, then brought his hand back to her chin, pulled her mouth to his, and gently kissed her again.

When he released her this time she was breathless, whether from excitement or nervousness, she couldn't tell. She quickly scooted away and began to put her boots on, glancing over to catch a glimpse of Asher's wounded face. "I should probably be getting home," she murmured, standing up.

The boy composed himself and stood up as well. "Alright," he said. "May I walk you home?" Ena nodded, and the two silently returned the way they had come. When they got to Ena's house, Asher paused. "I'm sorry about that," he said. Ena didn't reply. "If it's alright with you though, maybe we could go on a walk again some other time?" he asked hopefully.

_That was actually really nice, _Ena thought. "I'd like that," she said, smiling.

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Warning! The next chapter contains quite a few adult themes, which in my effort to follow the rule of 'show, don't tell,' may be disturbing to some younger readers. I will provide a brief (clean) summary of what happens at the beginning of the fourth chapter, so feel free to skip it if you want to.


	3. Chapter 3: Unexpected Developments

WARNING! This chapter contains quite a few adult themes, which, in my effort to follow the rule of 'show, don't tell,' may be disturbing to some readers. I will provide a brief (clean) summary of what happens at the beginning of the next chapter, so feel free to skip it if you want to.

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Chapter 3: Unexpected Developments

As time wore on, Ena began to go on walks with Asher more frequently, until they went nearly every day. They began to talk less and less about the pows and the wheat, and more and more about each other, the bond between them growing. They also grew just a little more intimate each time. One day as they sat beneath their tree, Ena was feeling thoughtful. "They say the ocean has returned to this world," she said, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. "But I haven't seen it," she continued. "It's supposed to be huge; it must be around here somewhere, don't you think?"

"I suppose so," he replied distractedly, stroking her hair.

"How far do you think it is to the ocean from here?" she asked. "I want to go there someday."

He kissed the top of her head. "Maybe we can find it together," he said.

"Really?" Ena lifted her head. "When can we go?"

Asher looked at her and smiled. "Someday," he said, as he pulled her hips onto his lap, holding her from behind. He moved her dark hair aside and began kissing her neck. Ena was moving her hand to caress his jawline, when Asher caught her wrist and turned her over to lay on her back.

"Asher!" she said, surprised. He didn't seem to hear her. Her back hurt from when she hit the ground, but she was distracted by his kisses, which were now steadily moving towards her collarbone. Asher supported himself above her on his left elbow, while his right hand seemed to float over her body. First it was on her thigh, then her hip. It moved past her waist to her breast, where it rested for a moment with a gentle pressure, just like their first kiss. Ena had never felt anything like she did now, and was afraid and confused. She squirmed for a minute, until she recalled Taite's words. She wasn't sure about doing nothing in this situation, seeing as Asher was now unbuttoning her blouse, his kisses venturing ever lower, but she trusted her friend's advice, and did nothing.

Asher was moving faster now, his kisses becoming more frantic. Ena moved to stroke his light hair, and he looked up at her. "You are so beautiful," he breathed. That made Ena smile and he resumed his work on her blouse, struggling with the last button. Ena reached down to help him with it. As soon as it was unbuttoned, he ran his hands across her stomach and around her back, spreading her shirt so it fell off her shoulders. He held her close for a few moments. Ena had always enjoyed being close to him, but this was even better than before. She could feel his warm body through his thin summer shirt. Soon she became aware that he was fumbling with her bra. She felt it come undone, but Asher didn't let her go. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

She thought a moment. "Mhmm," she replied meekly. Asher loosened his grasp on her and gently held her at arm's length. Her bra fell to her lap as he looked her up and down, his eyes settling on her exposed breasts. Ena searched Asher's eyes. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"How lovely you are," he said without looking away. He laid her back down and resumed hovering above her, this time supporting himself with his right arm. His left hand stroked her side as he kissed her forehead, her nose, her mouth, her neck, her chest, and finally the pink tip of one breast. As he began to gently suck on her, Ena tugged at the buttons on his shirt. Asher sat up, straddling her, and pulled his shirt off over his head without taking the time to unbutton it, which tousled his already-messy hair. Ena trailed her hand across his chest; he was quite toned from the hard work in the fields. Asher pulled her up to him, held her tight, and kissed her hard. His naked skin felt so nice against her own. He turned, releasing her lower body, and laid her back down without letting her go, so that they were side-by-side.

They lay like this for several minutes, kissing and touching, until Ena noticed what felt like a long stone inside Asher's pants, pressing against her hips. Curious, she pulled back and laid her hand on it. To her surprise, it moved, and she quickly drew her hand away. He chuckled and pulled her back to his chest. Ena's curiosity was not satisfied though. She rested her hand on his hip for a few moments before pushing his back against the ground. He lay still and looked at Ena as she stroked and stared at him. She occasionally looked up at his face to assure herself that he was alright with this, and always found him smiling.

After a minute or so, Asher began to remove his belt. Ena blushed, but didn't stop him, so he raised his hips to remove his pants as well. Ena gazed at his bulge, and put one finger to it quizzically. She moved her hand up to the waistband of his underwear and pulled it down slightly, glancing up at Asher's face first. His eyes were closed, but he was still smiling, so she continued to pull down the last bit of fabric on his body. Ena ran her hand over him gently, trying to understand how everything could fit down there, when Asher suddenly sat up, which sent him flopping.

He pushed her back to the ground and hiked her skirt up around her stomach. Ena shuddered and found herself panting as his fingers floated smoothly over her underwear. Asher looked up to Ena's face, silently asking for permission. Ena understood what it was that men wanted now; she had been cautioned not to give it, but she wasn't afraid, not of Asher, so she raised her hips and allowed him to slip her underwear off.

He could tell she was nervous. "Are you sure it's okay?" Ena turned away. "It's my first time too," he admitted. She looked into his eyes once again and nodded. He positioned himself and entered her slowly, stopping once he was fully inside. She whimpered a little. "Shh, it's okay," he said. "Just relax." Ena realized she was holding her breath and exhaled, letting her body rest against the ground. He began to slowly move back and forth, just a little at a time, but steadily lengthening his thrusts. Without realizing it, Ena began to move her hips in order to exaggerate his efforts. "Asher," she said softly, digging her nails into the dirt. In response, he lowered his torso and held her tightly. He sped up now, releasing the occasional grunt.

Ena was feeling completely overwhelmed; she didn't know what to make of this tingly sensation all over her body. Asher shuddered on top of her, and she felt a hot liquid spurt inside her. She didn't know what to do, except that she didn't want him to leave her, so she clung on to him, saying "Don't go. Please don't go."

He lay on top of her for a minute or so before he pulled out and lay on the ground next to her. Ena turned on her side and clutched his arm against her chest, wanting bodily contact. He turned towards her, put his arms around her, and rested like that for several minutes before brushing her hair out of her face and kissing her gently on the lips.

That night, Ena fell asleep with a smile on her face.

One afternoon, about a week later, Ena and Asher had just set out towards their tree when they heard footsteps behind them. They turned around and saw Mora's face just above the grass. "Ena!" she shouted, waving her arms. "You need to come home! The baby's coming!"

Ena looked up at Asher. "I'm sorry, I have to go," she said, taking a step towards Mora. He nodded and released her hand. The two girls hurried along the riverbank and were out of breath by the time they reached their home.

Inside, they found Kalia laying on her back, breathing heavily and making strained noises, their father pacing next to her. Ena had helped deliver a powlet or two in the past year, and was naturally calm in a crisis besides, so she sprang into action. "Mora," she called. The girl was staring wide-eyed at her helpless mother. "Mora!" This time she turned to look at Ena. "Mora, I need you to heat some water, okay?" She didn't move. "Put some water over the fire!" Ena ordered. Mora nodded, and scampered out. Ena moved over to her stepmother. _So far, so good, _she thought, but her father's pacing was really starting to annoy her. "Father, go get the midwife," she said.

He stopped. "But Ena," he said helplessly, "she's a hard day's ride away."

"Then get going!" she said. He hesitated, then hurried out. It might be useless she knew, but she had to get him out of the house; she was embarrassed to work with him there. Ena pulled a chair up to Kalia's bedside, and sat down to wait. Mora returned with a pail of water and built a fire, then sat down at the table with her hands in her lap. They waited like this for a long time, Ena comforting her stepmother, Mora sitting at the table, positively rigid, until Kato began to cry. Mora took the three year-old in her lap and tried to hush him, unsuccessfully. Ena felt like her head was about to split. "Take him outside," she growled.

Mora did as she was told. With her children out of the room, Kalia seemed to relax. Ena checked on her progress; her contractions were only a few seconds apart now, and she was already quite wide. Kalia screamed, and a trickle of blood ran out of her. It was starting. Ena put a warm cloth on her forehead and moved the pot of water to the foot of the bed. More blood was coming out now, but nothing else yet. "Shh, just relax," she told her stepmother.

A few minutes went by. Ena could tell she was in extreme pain, but nothing was coming. She got up and felt Kalia's stomach firmly. She pushed down slightly, and Kalia yelled. "You have to push now, okay?" she said. The woman nodded weakly. "Okay," Ena said, bracing herself. "One, two, three, push!" Kalia tensed as Ena pressed down on her stomach again. Ena hurried back to the end of the bed and saw a small foot emerging from her stepmother; the baby was turned around. Ena grimaced. Kalia began to pant, and a bit more of the leg emerged with each contraction. Then, there was another foot. Ena exhaled and gently pulled on it, so that the baby's knee would unbend. Ena set her hands on the bloody mattress under the tiny feet, ready catch it when the body came out.

Just a few moments later, Ena held a small pink and blue body in her hands. She adjusted the baby boy so he was lying in her right arm and began to clean his body with a damp cloth as he cried. Once he was clean, Ena put him against his mother's chest, but she didn't react. Ena checked her again and found she was still bleeding; something was wrong. She grabbed the nearest rags and held them up to her stepmother. When they were soaked, she found some others, trying to staunch the bleeding. Ena looked up. The baby was crying, writhing in between Kalia's arm and chest. Her face was pale and her eyes were closed. _No! _Ena thought.

It was dark and cool when Ena opened the door to air out the house. She wondered where Mora and Kato had gone, but turned back inside. She held the baby, swaddled in a blanket, and fed him a bottle of warm pow milk as she looked, teary-eyed, at the lifeless body of his mother. Ena knew she should take care of the body, but she was entirely distraught and exhausted. As soon as the baby had fallen asleep, she lay down on her own bed and rested.

The next morning dawned brightly. Ena was woken by a figure tapping at the open door. It was Asher, she saw, with Mora and Kato peeking in from behind him. Ena sat up and wiped her swollen eyes. "Oh, thank the gods," she said when she saw him. He moved towards her and Mora ran inside towards her mother's body. "No, wait!" Ena said, but it was too late.

Mora stood over the bloody mattress, mouth hanging open. Ena and Asher watched her quietly as she said "Mama?" When she didn't respond, Mora shook her shoulder. The stiffness of the body surprised the girl, and she took a step backward. Asher understood what had happened and scooped up Kato while giving Ena a look of pity. "Mama!" Mora wailed, beginning to cry. Crying, Ena walked over to her, took her hand and lead her to the door where Asher was waiting to take her back to his house. The girl sobbed as she left.

Ena checked on the baby. She changed his diaper, fed him, and placed him in a basket near the hearth, where she soon had a fire going again. At this point, Asher returned, this time alone, and Ena ran to his arms. He held her, stroking her hair as he said, "I'm so sorry." Ena cleaned the body while Asher threw out the soiled linens. By the end of the day Kalia looked as though she were simply resting peacefully.


	4. Chapter 4: Decay

Summary of Chapter 3: Unexpected Developments – Ena and Asher become lovers. Ena delivers Kalia's baby safely, but is unable to save the mother's life. (See, I told you it would be brief!)

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Chapter 4: Decay

Ena and her siblings stayed with Asher's family that night. The next day, they had just returned to their home when their father arrived with the midwife on an exhausted prancer. Ena met them at the door, sullen. Her father took one look at her and asked frantically, "What's happened?"

"I-I'm sorry father," she said. "I couldn't save her."

He looked at her in disbelief and barged through the doorway. "Oh! Oh, gods!" he said. She heard him fall to his knees. "I… I've killed her!" he sobbed, clutching Kalia's stiff hand.

The midwife went inside and inspected the corpse. "Let me see the child," she said.

Ena's father looked up. "The baby! How is the baby?" he asked.

Ena took the boy out of the basket and handed him to the midwife. She looked him over and seemed satisfied, then handed him to his father. "How did you say he came out?" she asked.

"Feet first," Ena replied.

The midwife nodded. "Yes," she said sadly. "And she didn't stop bleeding, did she?" Ena shook her head. "Well girl," she said, "you seem to have done as well as anyone could have expected." Ena felt a weight lift off her shoulders. If the midwife felt that she had done well, it couldn't be her fault that Kalia had died. She looked over the body once again and said, "There seems to be nothing more for me to do here. But I would say goodbye to her soon. She won't look this good for much longer." Ena watched her go as her father held his newborn son and cried.

Kalia was buried beside the hall the soldiers had built. Hers was the inaugural grave, and it left a heavy feeling on the village. Although Mora relieved Ena of her shepherding duties, the young woman was now busier than ever. She took over all the household duties, as well as cared for young Kato and the baby, whom her father had named Ruven. As a result, she was only able to see Asher on rare occasions.

The recent events greatly disturbed Ena's father as well. Since then, he hardly got out of bed, except to go to the bathroom. He ate very little and talked less. When he did speak, his voice was broken. However, every night, once he thought his children were asleep, he talked to Kalia. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I should never have brought you out here, so far away. I wish I had never done that to you. It's all my fault."

Every night he said the same words, not realizing Ena heard him. _No, _she thought. _It wasn't you, and it wasn't me. It was Emperor Lyude who killed her. It was his scheme that brought us all out here to fend for ourselves. That speech he made about caring for his people was such a hoax. He just wanted to get rid of us without looking bad. _Embittered, Ena fell asleep.

A few weeks went by. Asher had begun to eat supper with her family, as it was just about the only time Ena could spare. With her father unable to coordinate the harvest, Ena took that duty upon herself as well. Once it was completed, she began to formulate the village's biannual report. One night she sighed, and set down her pen. It was finished. All those dates and numbers had begun to overwhelm her. She stood over her father and held out the folder. "Here," she said. "The report is ready to go to Mintaka."

He closed his eyes and shook his head weakly. "No, I cannot go," he said.

"But father," she protested, "you're this village's spokesperson. You must convey our doings to the emperor."

Ena's father squinted at her. "Do you think…" he breathed, "I can make *cough* the journey,... looking like this?"

Ena looked at him critically. His depression seemed to have weakened his health considerably. His hair was greying, his eyes were sunken, and the bones stood out in his cheeks. She shook her head softly. "If you'd just eat more," she began, but he stopped her. _…you might get better, _she was going to say.

"You must go, before the harvest spoils." He paused. "Take a third of the grain… and half the apples… to the emperor to… pay the debt." The sickly man nodded, closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep.

The next day, Ena began to prepare for the journey her father insisted she take. Asher offered to go with her, but she assured him that he would be more useful here, planting the winter crops. She told Mora what was to be done while she was gone, asked Taite to check in on Mora occasionally, and had the village men load the cart with the harvest, so that everything would be ready for an early start in the morning. "Are you sure you'll be alright out there by yourself?" one of the men asked.

"My father never had any trouble."

"Nayati's a man," he grunted.

She shrugged. "Why should that make any difference?" she said as she walked away.

Ena rose the next morning before the sun was up. She dressed quietly to avoid waking anyone else and hurried to the barn to harness the prancers. Not long after, she was on her way. She made it to the edge of the grasslands that day, and was across the desert by the end of the third day. She arrived in Mintaka around noon the next day.

The city had changed in the years Ena had been gone. Instead of nobles hurrying though the streets nose-up, there were shouting vendors and laughing children. She didn't remember the air being this oppressive. Ena slowed her cart, wary of her prancers stepping on someone. She drove them up to the palace gates, where she got off the wagon and handed the report to one of the guards. "The biannual report from Altair," she said curtly.

The man took it and hurried inside. The other guard directed Ena to the storehouse where her cart would be unloaded. He pointed her to a less extravagant, although not necessarily smaller, gate to her left. Upon her arrival at the gate, a scene reminiscent of leaf-cutter ants greeted her eyes. No less than twenty people scurried back and forth, taking provisions from two half-empty prancer carts, apparently from other settlements, and depositing them in a wide stone building across the dirt yard. Ena lined her cart up next to the other two.

As she waited for her cart to be unloaded, Ena peeked inside the storehouse. She whistled softly; it echoed. Only the back wall of the building had been filled. Sacks of grain slumped against the corners and boxes of produce sat isolated in the middle of the floor. "You'd think the emperor would be a hoarder, wouldn't you?" she thought aloud.

A scrawny woman stopped her work to wipe her brow. "He gives it to those that need it," she said simply.

Ena scoffed. "The emperor? Why would he do that, when he can just take it all for himself?"

The woman glared at her. "Emperor Lyude takes only what he needs, and gives the rest to poor city folk like us. In exchange, we work for him," she said, gazing at Ena's well-nourished frame.

Suddenly, she felt embarrassed. "Oh," was all she said. Ena made sure the workers had an accurate count of the supplies she had brought, then mounted the cart and set out to find an inn where she could rest tonight.

As she emerged from the side yard, a soldier stopped her. "Miss Ena!" the gate guard called. "Emperor Lyude has read your report, and requests your audience," he said, catching her by surprise.

She had neither desired nor expected to be presented to the emperor, but, she decided, if he had a message for her to take back to her father, which was likely the case, it was her duty to receive it. "Very well," she said as she dismounted. The guard called a young boy to take the prancers, then turned and motioned for her to follow him.

She trailed him through the gate, up the stairs, and through the doors of the imperial palace. They passed through the main lobby and then turned down a hallway, where two soldiers stood before a golden door. "Please take a seat," her escort said, gesturing to an upholstered bench along the wall. "The emperor will be with you shortly."

Ena ground her teeth as she waited. _It's his fault Kalia died, _she remembered. _If we hadn't had to move so far away, she'd still be alive, father wouldn't be so ill, and I'd have more time to be with Asher, _Ena seethed with bitterness. She just wanted this meeting to be over with. She would be polite in front of the emperor, she had decided, for the sake of her village, but she wouldn't enjoy it.

Suddenly, the door was thrust open angrily, pushing one guardsman against the wall. A man dressed in knee-length breeches, a white blouse, and a hideous orange and blue vest stormed out. Once he was out of sight, the lucky guardsman stepped inside, closing the door gently behind him. He reemerged a few moments later and motioned to Ena to follow him inside. "Miss Ena of Altair village," he announced.

The redheaded emperor rose from behind a large, sturdy-looking desk. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Ena," he said with a gentle smile, offering his right arm for a handshake. Ena walked forward robotically and held out a stiff hand. "Thank you Arlo," he said to the guard. "You may leave us now." Turning back to Ena, he gestured towards a chair on the near side of the desk. "Please have a seat," he said. "I'm sorry for that little outburst you must have seen," he continued. "Lately I have taken to hosting visitors in the study, as it seems to facilitate more conversation and allows them to speak their minds more comfortably than in the throne room. Unfortunately, this appears to have upset some of the more conservative members of the senate," he said by way of explanation.

Ena still didn't feel comfortable speaking _her_ mind with those armed guards just on the other side of the door; she locked her jaw, just in case something tried to make its way out. "Well, I must congratulate your village's tremendous efforts these past few years," the emperor continued. "Altair is the first village to pay off its initial investment." He looked up at her. "I'm certainly surprised you're getting yields as big as these. None of the other villages have reported half this much."

_He thinks we're lying to get out of debt,_ Ena thought. _Abusing the people… He's no better than Geldoblame was._ "Thank you, sir," she hissed.

The emperor seemed to sense something was amiss. He leaned forward slightly. "Tell me, is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

Ena looked down at her lap. They had been run awfully thin during the harvest this year she remembered; there had been so much to do, and not enough bodies to do it all. "More people," she muttered.

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't quite catch what you said."

Ena made herself look at him. "I think we could bring in a bigger harvest if we had more people," she said. As she watched him weigh the idea, she remembered her father. "And a doctor. We need a doctor," she added. She hated asking for help from this man she abhorred, but she loved her father and was loyal to her village.

"I think I can manage that," he said nodding. "As soon as I have some volunteers I'll send them your way."

"Thank you, sir." Ena began to stand up.

"Oh, and one more thing," the redhead added. Ena sat back down. "When would be the best time for me to check in on Altair? I was thinking of visiting sometime soon."

_Never, _Ena thought. "The spring planting is busy. That's when there's the most to see," she said instead.

"I understand. Thank you Miss Ena," he replied, giving her a bow.

Ena hurried out of the palace, returning the way she had come. When she reached the gates, she asked the guard about her cart. He had it brought around and she drove to an inn where she spent the night. The next morning she got an early start back towards Altair.


End file.
